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MonsterLeopard
05-29-14, 2:57 pm
I'm tired of being weak. Though I come from a lineage of overweight problems, I've always been skinny, and like I said, weak. It stops now.

About 3 months ago I decided I wouldn't be like everyone else at the gym, trying to get a six pack to show the girls. Enter powerlifting. I was hooked.
I currently sit at around 177lbs. Pretty small, but at this poor I'm not worried about weight. Rather, I'm worried about perfection. Perfect technique with the lifts.
I Had been training in a bodybuilding fashion for about... Almost 7 years. I saw improvements in my physique, but nothing spectacular. My diet wasn't there, really. To be quite honest, I was tired of the same shit. I wanted to unleash an untamed potential. And I've always loved the idea of lifting a weight that would kill a regular person.

As I stand, my total is around 825... I hate it.
I want at least 1100 before going into a meet. Whenever that happens, I will be ready. I know I will.

As for my training right now, my training partner and I decided it would be a good idea to introduce ourselves to the sport and not follow a particular program, but rather, follow a traditional linear periodization method. We set a goal for what we wanted our lifts to be, and started at 70% of that, and we would increase the percentage by 5% every other week. On one week, we would train for strength, with the before mentioned percentages, and on the other week we would train power/technique, starting at 60% of our desired max. So what we ended up was a kind of microcycles of strength and power; one week strength, the other, power.
We are almost at the end. This week (we start on Friday cause we feel we got more energy then), it's 90%. I hit the squat and the bench for 90% before. But the deadlift... That motherfucker took me down last time. This time, it's gonna be all mine.

This is what my training looks like:
Friday: Deads
-deadlifts 2x2
-deficit pulls 3x6-8
-reverse hypers 3x10

Saturday: shoulders and bi's
-side laterals 3x10
-reverse flyes 3x12
-shrugs 4x10
-standing barbell curls 3x6
-overhead curls 3x8,6,4,2,10

Sunday: bench
-flat bench 4x2
-close grip bench 3x4-6
-JM press 3x8-10

Monday: back
-be pull-ups 3xfailure
-pendlay rows 3x6-8
-db single hand rows 4x6-8
-wide grip pullsdowns 3x8
-close grip seated (or standing) rows 3x4

Tuesday: squat
-squats 2x2
-front squats 3x4
-rdl 3x8

On power weeks we lower the weight, but the movements, sets and reps are pretty much the same.

Finally, for nutrition, it's pretty simple. As much good food as possible. My diet is high in fats and protein, and not as low as I would like, but low on carbs. Fats from red meat, avocados, fish, oil and nuts. Lots of protein with red meat, chicken and proteinshakes. Carbs mainly from oats and fruit.
Supplementation is pretty simple: creatine, protein shakes, pre workout and fish oils.

That is it brothers... My Journey to the 1100 total.
I will talk to you later.

Any tips on training or nutrition, please share them.

Cheers.

knotahumanbeing
05-29-14, 3:25 pm
Welcome to the Forvm brother. Tons of useful knowledge and years of experience around here on almost anything you need help with. Best of luck on your journey.

Stay Hungry
Rob

MonsterLeopard
05-31-14, 12:11 pm
Well fellas, last night was deadlift night...
Warm-up consisted of:
-Bar 2x5
-135 1x5
-185 1x5
-225 2x3
-275 2x1 (switched to over/under grip)
-315 1x1
-335 1x1

For nutrition yesterday I had:
-Breakfast: 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1tbsp all natural peanut butter, 1 scoop of protein, fish oil cap
-Snack: protein shake with water, 1 banana
-Lunch: 8oz extra lean ground beef, 1 cup of steamed brocolli
-Lunch II: 8oz extra lean ground beef, 1 cup of steamed brocolli
-Preworkout meal (~1hr before workout): 8oz steak, kale salad with lemon juice and olive oil

All day I thought about it. I thought about ripping that bar off the floor. I pictured myself doing it, and I pictured myself getting to the top and the electricity running through my body as I locked that rep. I played that rep over and over in my head.
Finally it was time, and I did it. I ripped that bar off the floor and I was so amped up that I was able to go for a SECOND rep. The form wasn't pretty, but I decided to leave that aside for today.
HOWEVER, looking back at the video, I realize it was actually 345, instead of 355...
I didn't reach my goal of achieving a twice-bodyweight-deadlift (though I believe I could have done it), but I learned that if you really want something, if you put your all into it, you can achieve it.

I finished the workout with a 3x3 deficit deadlifts, off two 35lb plates. 225lbs in the bar.

All and all, even though I didn't achieve a 355lb deadlift, I achieved a 10lb PR and that is progress. And that is was I love about the sport, the ability to measure your progress from week to week.

Today, bench day... I'll keep you posted.

MonsterLeopard
05-31-14, 8:45 pm
I benched today...
90% of my desired 245. 220 but I rounded to 225.
The goal was to do one set of two reps. I got the first one up, with what I think was perfect form, after I looked at the video. The second rep didn't go up. I got stuck at about 2-3 inches of my chest. Does anyone know how to work this particular area. This seems to be my most dreadful, troublesome area in my bench.
After that was done, I wrapped a couple 30lb mini bands I'm a Slingshot fashion around me and proceeded to do 4more reps with 225.
Moved to close grip bench after, 3x3 with 185lbs. Finished with something different... Dips. Bodyweight to failure 3 times.

For nutrition I had:
-my regular oatmeal breakfast
-a costco hotdog <- I know it was a terrible idea, but give me a break.
-1 banana and a handful of cashews post workout
-lunch: 8oz extra lean ground turkey and a cup of steamed brocolli.

We'll see how the rest of the week goes...

MonsterLeopard
06-05-14, 2:39 pm
Goddamn I've been busy. Haven't had a chance to post much. I moved this past weekend, so I've been pretty dead lately. Back, legs and grip strength are pretty much non-existing right now.
Last night and the night before I managed to get 7-8hrs of sleep, so I haven been able to recover a bit.
Anyway... Tuesday night is squat night. So I had to have a break from moving. Thank god for preworkouts.
I did a little 10min warmup on the bike and followed it by some stretching/foam rolling. I make sure I foam roll my glutes, hams and IT band for sure. They are staples, as they are the parts that give me the most issues in my pulling and squatting.

The workout:
-Back squats
Bar x 5
Bar x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 2
245 x 1
265 x 1
265 x 1

-Romanian Deadlifts
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 2

-Good mornings
65 x 5 x 3 sets

Previously I had done 265x2, but since I was pretty beat, and I had no spotter, I decided to just do two heavy singles. Maybe I'll post the video of the squat at some point here. I felt it went up pretty easily and I think I'll be able to squat 280 on my next heavy week.
Tomorrow is speed deadlift day. Hopefully I'll have a great night of sleep and be able to perform at my best.

MonsterLeopard
07-08-14, 2:52 pm
Things have been all over the place lately. We moved about a month ago, so since then I haven't been able to post as much as I would have liked.
Training has been going well. Sort of... Since the last time I posted I was able to deadlift 395, off 3-4 inch blocks. I still have to lift it off the floor to achieve my goals for the end of this program. Off the floor, my best pull was 375. which was a 20lb PR from my last PR, 355. I was particularly thrilled to hit 355 as it is twice my bodyweight.
Squats have worked up, also. My best squat now is 285, and I will be shooting for 295 next week. I believe I can do it.
Bench, however, seems to have been stuck for the past few weeks... 225 is my best. It is not enough. I want more.

As of right now, here is where I stand:
S: 285
D: 375
B: 225
Bw: 176

As I am writing this, I am wathcing The Cage: Brotherhood. I can't wait for next week. I can't wait to see where I stand. Next week is 100% of my desired maxes.


Scared? ... Huh, shitless. But I cant help but to feel an excitement, a certain impatiance building up inside me. There is a fire rising.
Though next week is 100% of my desired max, it is going to be 1000% of my will. "Through your body at the mark when your arrows are spent."

There is a fire rising.